Whether required by law or regulation, or whether needed to preserve items being stored, many containers require a seal that is airtight and impervious to liquid. Typically, these types of seal include a layer of foil that covers the opening of the container and is secured thereto by an adhesive. A problem with a foil seal is that it can be compromised when items are stacked on top of the foil. Friction will abrade the foil seal, thereby compromising the foil seal by providing access to the interior of the container. This is illustrated in prior art FIG. 3, where a prior art embodiment of a sealed container A may have its foil seal B abraded and compromised due to a container C stacked above it. The abrasion in this example would occur at or near an inner diameter of the sealed container A, which would allow contents D to be exposed to the atmosphere and possible contaminants.
In accordance with one embodiment, a container includes a base establishing a base plane on which the container is restable and through which extends a container longitudinal axis, a sidewall extending from the base and circumscribing the longitudinal axis, and a rim terminating the sidewall and including radially inner and outer surfaces and a sealing lip extending between the radially inner and outer surfaces. A portion of the sealing lip proximate the outer surface is further from the base plane than another portion of the sealing lip proximate the inner surface.
In accordance with another embodiment, a container includes a sidewall circumscribing a central longitudinal axis and a rim terminating the sidewall. The rim includes a radially outer surface, a radially inner surface, and a sealing lip extending between the radially outer and inner surfaces. The sealing lip has a radially innermost portion, and an axially outermost portion disposed radially outboard with respect to the radially innermost portion.